Reflect My Heart ~
by Ruby Youkai
Summary: Revelations Begin...and there's no way to stop them.
1. Default Chapter Title

Reflect My Heart  
~Part 1: More then Meets the Eye~  
by: Sammie  
  
((~A/N: Look, this is a strange but I think it is a good fanfic. I am a Meilin/Li fan, I know there are a lot of Sakura/Li fans out there. I DO enjoy Sakura and Li fanfics, and I dont' flame fanfics because it has Sakura/Li in theme, so I would seriously appreciat it if I am not flamed for being a Meilin/Li fan. Thank You.~))  
  
A small smile played 'bout her lips, twisted in a scene of mockery.  
"Stupid humans." She thought. "Now will be our time of revenge...Clow Reed sealed us up for decades, centuries...."  
She felt the presence of the other clow cards around her stir. Yes, the time drew nearer until the book would be opened.  
"Clow Reed...and his precious species. Once the book is burned and the 'mistress' dead...THE WORLD WILL BE OURS FOR THE TAKING!"   
"HEAR ME, CAPTORS! YOUR TIME OF DEATH IS AT HAND!" She screamed through the thick leather of the Clow, the magical aura that surrounded it. She felt the presence of the mistress slowly descend the stairs into the dank chamber...  
  
Meilin awoke with a start. She sat up and groaned...it was the third time that night she had had that dream, and she was starting to freak out...but she couldn't tell Li. Why?  
"Why the heck can't I tell him? I've always told him everything..." She quietly questioned the silver moon, peaking just into her room through the window.  
She kicked herself mentally "No, I haven't."  
Meilin lied back down, staring at the ceiling. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and went to get a drink of water and some fresh air to calm her nerves. Her hair fell strait down to just below her waist, no longer held up by the ever-famous ribbons she always wore...she convinced herself that she looked like a wreak.  
Suddenly the light flickered on.  
"Meilin, what are you doing up?" Li's groggy voice gently reprimanded her. "It's..." he narrowed his eyes, trying to get the blur of sleep away from his vision as he looked at the clock "Four in the morning." "I...Couldn't sleep." She hesitantly explained, gulping down some water.  
Li took a seat on the chair beside her. He looked behind her, on the side of her opposite to him, even under her chair.  
"Li...what are you looking for?"  
"No...nothing."  
"LI! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!?" She screamed, her voice raising in pitch.  
"No problem." His automatic response.   
"There is a problem. Tell me." She said.  
Li sighed. "Are you carrying any magical talisman or anything like that with you?"  
Meilin's eyes widened when she thought of where this was going. She almost choked on her water as she spluttered out "No, why!?"  
"I sense...magic. It may be I'm too asleep, but I can sense it."  
Meilin stared at the old and worn kitchen table, it's furnish long dulled and parts of it worn away to create an uneven surface. "What makes you think that it's around ME?" She asked.  
"Meilin."  
"What?"  
"Have you been experimenting with-"  
"WITCHCRAFT!? LI! NO!" She said, stunned.  
Li looked at her skeptically. "It doesn't seem like that. That...signal your sending out is defiantly some kind of Dark Magic."  
Merlin stood up defensively. "HEY! Back off!"  
Lie looked up at her, shocked. It was the very first time in their lives that she had ever snapped at him.  
Meilin's face softened and she looked down at the floor, frowning...the cup slipped from her hands, it's contents spilling on the deep plush carpet, unhidden.  
Li took her hands in his. "Meilin. This is dangerous. Look, I know how much you want to be a part of this magic-"  
"LI! I don't care!" Meilin broke out in tears. "I don't care Li I don't! I just want you to admire me the same way you admire Sakura! I want you to include me too and stop shutting me out!"  
There. She had said it. She had said the words she had been yearning to say since they moved to Japan, a year and 5 months ago.  
"Meilin..."  
She looked up at him, sniffling "What?"  
Li gently wiped away her tears "Go back to sleep. Now that I'm wide awake, I have to find out what is causing me to sense these things. All right?" He let go of her hands and walked over to a cup board, taking out his lasin board.   
"Li! Let me go, I can help."  
But Li was already gone, the front door closing softly behind him.  
He had shut her out once more.  
...............................................  
  
Li stood on the rooftop. He was sure he made a ridiculous scene, a boy in a gray tank-top and oversized sweat shorts, with slippers on his feet...holding an board with obvious power in it. The wind teased his wild hair as he focused...trying so hard, picking up something yet nothing. A strange force surrounded his senses, tugging him towards every which way. The lazin board didn't do anything to help.  
Someone's steps sounded behind him, clumsy and inexperienced...at least to his minds eye they were.  
Li closed his eyes unpatiently "Go away sakura."  
"I sense a clow card, Li! Use your lazin board-"  
"No clow card here sakura. Now go."  
"But I sense-"  
"What you sense is a mischannel."  
"A...mischannel?"  
"Usually caused by the history that happened in a certain spot" Kero spoke up. "There, someone stole something, about 100 years ago." He continued, pointing "They hung him for attempted murder."  
"His spirit lingers there!?" Sakura sqeeked.  
"No, just the history of what happened." Kero responded.  
............................................................................  
  
Meilin had it. She just had it. She was going out to take a walk...to calm her nerves down. She quickly did her hair up and slipped into a light-weighted Chinese dress, perfect for the hot summer night...er..early morning. She slipped into a pair of sandals on her way out.  
......................................................................  
  
"Meilin? What's SHE doing out here?" Li asked, more to himself.  
"huh?" Sakura ran to stand beside Li. She held up her hand and waved "Hey! MEILIN!"  
Meilin looked up and snorted "great." she thought "just like always! he's with her and leaves ME in the dark!"  
Sakura stared at Meilin, usually the girl would be over-ecstatic to see Li and shout some cut-down at Sakura. But Meilin just stared a few more seconds, then looked down the road, obviously planning on walking ahead without barely acknowledging their presence. Sakura also noted that Meilin wasn't wearing her usual cardcaptor costume...  
Sakura, Kero, Li, and Madison watched as Meilin stared straight in front of her, walking slowly and deliberately away.  
"what's up with her?" Kero asked...quietly, though.  
"AAAAAAAH!" Meilin let out a shriek that could pierce the veil of death itself.  
Li gasped as Meilin fell to her knees, trying to shield herself from some invisible force. He was too high to jump, he had to take the stairs!  
Meilin shrunk to her knees, her body flinching in pain as something struck her over and over again. Her dress tore and blood seeped from small cuts and large gashes that formed on her back and arms.   
Li panted heavily. He had to get to her, and fast.  
"FLY CARD! RELEASE!" Sakura yelled, hopping on her staff and flying down to aid Meilin with whatever it was.  
Sakura's wand transformed back to normal as she landed, Meilin still shrieking in pain. Sakura grabbed the shorter girl's shoulders, trying to pull her away from whatever it was.  
Then Meilin stoped screaming. She held on to Sakura like her life depended on it, crying.  
"Meilin! What's wrong?"  
"Help me avalon..help...he wants to kill me...help me!" Meilin whimpered.  
"who? Who wants to kill me?"  
Meilin looked up at Sakura, her brown eyes reflecting terror and shock beyond anything that sakura had seen. Meilin looked behind her and pointed "there, can't you see him!?"   
Meilin did a double take as Li arrived on the scene. She slowly and shakily inched closer to where she was pointing, oblivious to the wounds that scarred her arms and back.  
"But...he was right here...you saw him right Li?"  
Li looked at Meilin worriedly "I didn't see anything, Meilin."  
Meilin stomped her foot, a move she soon afterward regretted "I SAW HIM!" She ripped off whatever was left of her sleeve. "Look! THAT didn't just happen on accident!"  
Her arm was raw with cuts and gashes and bruises.   
"We have to treat those, and fast." Madison said, worriedly.  
Meilin took a good look at her wounds and burst into frightened tears again "He was trying to kill me...the whip, it hurt so much..." She murmured over again.  
Li gently put his arm around her shoulders. She flinched in pain. Li then gently laid a hand on a part of her lower back that miraculously didn't get whiped, gently leading her to the side of the road where he could get a better look at her wounds.  
..................................................................  
  
Li soon saw to it that Meilin was resting in her bed after her wounds were treated and her clothes changed.  
Sakura stood up halfway as Li entered the living room, parts of his hands stained with Meilin's blood. He went to the small ajoining kitchen that melded into the living room and washes his hands.  
"Is she gonna be OK?"  
Li nodded. "She's been through worse, when she and I used to practice fighting at home." He muttered.  
"What was that about?" Madison asked fearfully.  
Kero frowned "I have to make this observation."  
"what is it kero?" Li asked.  
"When she reached the area of the mischannel, that's when all that stuff started happening."  
"What are you saying kero?" Sakura asked.  
"I don't know. All I'm saying is, that's what I saw."  
"Your right." Li grudgingly acknowledged.  
"sooo..." Sakura said.  
"So what?"  
"I don't know."  
Li grimaced as he looked up at the clock "it's almost six thirty. Time to get to school."  
Sakura frowned. She barely got any sleep...this was becoming more and more the norm then she would have liked it to be.  
"All part of the work of a cardcaptor." Sakura said, sighing.  
Li looked at her and snorted...which clearly stated that he didn't think she deserved the title as cardcaptor. Not yet, anyway.  
"Fortunatly for you, Sakura, I brought our school uniforms!" Madison said, digging into her bag and pulling out a pair of almost identical clothing. "Mind if we chang here li?" She asked.  
Li shook his head, far more concerned with other things.  
"Ow." A small voice came muffled from Meilin room.  
Everyone rushed up to find Meilin beating the hell out of a red punching bag, muttering 'ow' or a curseword with each punch, but never stopping. Her wounds surprisingly looked much better. Li was good at more things then she thought, sakura observed.  
"Meilin! You have to rest!" Li said, walking up to her and gently grasping her arm.  
Meilin whirled around to stare at li.  
It froze his blood.  
The look in here eyes was so...dark, it burned with anger and resentment and hatered and fear.  
"Back. Off. Showron." She said in a low and menacing voice.  
"Meilin?" Li asked, taking a step back.  
Meilin turned back to the punching bag, hitting it with even and almost mechanical moves.   
"I. don't. need. you. any. more." She said, emphasizing each word with a punch.  
"Meilin, look-"  
"You heard me." She hissed, pulling a whirling kick on the punching back, giving it a huge dent.  
"Meilin, stop."  
Meilin didn't stop.  
"Meilin, please!"  
A smile played about meilin's lips. She snickered.  
"Force, know my plight." She said, almost mockingly, challengingly "release the light, lighting!" she finished with a high and almost playful sounding note.  
A bolt of lighting split the punching bag in two...cotton fibers spilled out everywhere.  
She looked up at the group, smiling innocently. She walked over to her closet and pulled out her school uniform "C'mon guys! We don't want to be late for school, now do we?" With that she skipped into the bathroom, shutting the door.  
...............................................................................  
  
Mrs. Mackenzie seemed really uneasy around Meilin.   
So did the birds.  
and dogs.  
and every animal.  
and of course, Li, Sakura, and Madison.  
Li actually joined Sakura and Madison for lunch, the three of them in a small and private huddle, unnoticed in the melee of kids.  
Meilin skipped up to them and sat beside Li "Mom prepaired way too much for me again!" She said.  
"meilin...." Sakura said, frieghtend, slowly leaning back, preparing to run.  
"What, Avalon!?" Meilin asked, snappy and annoyed...the NORMAL Meilin.  
"What do you mean what!?"  
"What the hell do you want??"  
"We all want to know." Li said calmly "Is how did you learn to use that incantation to call forth lightning?"  
"What? The 'force, know my plight release the light' thing? I don't' know how!" Meilin said, taking a drink from her water bottle "What ARE you talking about???"  
"What do you mean!? Last night? That...invisible attacker of yours!?" Li said.  
Meilin looked at him quizzcaly "I was asleep all night long."  
"no you weren't!"  
"Was too!"  
Li pulled up her shirt sleve "Explain this!" He said, pointing at her wound.  
Meilin looked at her arm "what?"  
Li took a double glance at her.  
There WAS no wound!  
............................  
  
"Meilin, I..."  
"You what!?"  
"I...I'm sorry, I must have been mistaken." Sakura apologized.  
The bell rang and everyone returned to class.  
................................................................  
  
"What's up, Sakura?" Tory asked, sarcastic as always. Sakura had come home late from school, and now that the night had set in, she was acting especially worried.  
"What do you mean?"  
"You just seem really edgy."  
"I do..? Oh, it's nothing."  
"If you say so squirt."  
..........................................................  
  
Light. Light and fresh air...light and fresh air! Freedom.  
She flew! FLEW!  
And rejoined her other half. She was complete.  
Darkness and Light  
Mistress of the Yin and Yang...  
Descendent of the Showron,  
Enemy to the Showron.  
Both.  
And...she was never to be captured again!  
Her eyes glowed...blood red. She held the sword in her hand.  
"Li." She hissed. "Oh, Li. My PRECIOUS Li...Li and Sakura sittin' in a tree, K I S S I N G. Little Wolf has betrayed me, and little 'mistress of the clow' won't capture this part of me oh no." Meilin walked to the mirror.   
"She looks so much like me!" She sneered at her reflection. "Poor little Meiling Rae, Li's Fiancee. she doesn't know, as far as she's concerned she's nice and asleep. But me...ohho! Watch out, little Wolfie...watch out, Cherry Blossom....it's almost fall and the cherry blossoms fall at falltime. NOW IS HER TIME!"  
She dissapeared in a whirl of wind and smoke...slowly riding the currents of wind and sound and magic to Sakura's house...Li's sword held close to her chest, ready to deliver a final blow.  
  
Slowly, silently, deliberately. Soft footsteps...soft and sweet with the thirst for blood. Kero...little sweet kero, lay on sakura's pillow...unknowing and unaware.  
She saw the moonlight glint off the blade of the sword.  
Meilin pulled it up high, the glow in her eyes growing brighter...red, evil, angry.  
She aimed it for her rival's neck...soft auburn hair resting feather-light on the soft, peach-colored skin...  
One emerald eye opened.  
Two.  
She sat up, terrified and speechless.  
Meilin held Li's sword over her, ready and willing for the kill.  
  
  
  
((~A/N: I am a bad bad bad and evil person. Hey, chill on me here, some s/s stuff coming! just CHILL! Geeeze, I'm just doin' whatever comes to mind here, so CHILL!~)) 


	2. Default Chapter Title

((A/N: This looks like it would be going well. As always, please no flames. a major does of Meilin/Li, the Sakura/Li stuff coming later. There's a little heart-to-heart between Sakura and Meilin, totaly not ment for Yuri. NOT MENT FOR YURI. By the way, if you are interested in e-mailing me for anything my e-mail is...  
Meiling_Magic@prodigy.net  
Thanks, c-ya and sayonara, enjoy the fic! PLEASE REVIEW, and CCS or CC doesn't belong to me!)  
  
It was as if she was brought back from non-existance.  
The feeling of her mind working came back...  
Meilin expected to awake in her bed, at home, lying down.  
But instead, she was standing...holding Li's sword over her head...  
In Sakura's room.  
The sudden unbalence, unexpectedness caused meilin to dropped the sword, narrowly missing her own foot. She almost fell but regained her composure.  
Her eyes no longer glowed red...  
She looked left and right. Confused, hurt, angry, annoyed.  
She caught sight of Sakura's dresser...and stood stock-still. Still as a statue, still...  
But her reflection's eyes glowed red, and pointed wickedly back at her.  
"Poor Little Meilin Rae, doesn't know who her enemies are. Poor little Meilin Rae, lost herself in this game of hearts and loves, poor little Meilin Rae!" and then, her reflection became stock, still, just like her.  
Meilin held her hand to her head, shaking with the suddenness of the occerance.   
"Me...me...Meill-l-l-ling?" Sakura gasped out.  
"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" Kero yelled.  
"I...I...I dont' know."  
"You were trying to kill me!" Sakura gasped, reaching for her clow cards.  
"NO! I PROMISE! I dont' even know how I got here!"  
"after all that I had helped you with!" Sakura growled.  
"I Promise! I wasn't! I dont' even know how I got here!" Meilin repeated.  
"Yeah, right Meilin. How do you explain the sword!?"  
"I..I dont' know. Please sakura, you can have Li, I dont' care...I don't care! I don't love him anymore...take him! I can't take it anymore, I can't take this insanity, I can't take this pressure...Sakura, I'm begging you, please, believe me!"  
"What...what do you mean, I can have Li? And WHAT pressure?"  
Meilin shrunk to her knees, sobbing. "I dont' know what pressure, but it's there, it's always there...I need something, I need to do something but I don't know what it is! Li doesn't love me he loves you! And i have to accept that...maybe that's what's been destracting me, I don't know but ever since I accepted that fact all these wierd things have been happening. Please, Sakura!" She looked up at her former rival with begging eyes "you have to help me..I'll do anything, give you anything! Everything...I just gave you my everything. Li showron, he was my everything but now" Meilin fell to the ground, sobbing, gripping the plush carpet with her long fingernails, her fist shaking "I gave you my everything...everything..I can't take it! I've gone mad, but I will die...I feel like I will die! Sakura, help...help..."  
Sakura's true self came out and she gently put her arm around the shaking young girl, whispering that it will be OK.  
"thank you sakura." Meilin sighed.  
Kero hovered above the two girls, shocked.  
Tory and Li burst through the bedroom door.  
"MEILIN! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" Li screamed.  
Suddenly Meilin felt as if she drifted off to sleep once agian.  
Sakura gasped as Meilin's eyes started to glow a bloody red once more. She grabed Li sword and without a second thought charged at him!  
"MEILIN!" Sakura screamed.  
Li dodged, a fraction away from getting skewered.  
Meilin landed in front of him, neatly and almost nonchalently.  
She turned around to look at herself in the living room mirror.  
"She looks just like me!"  
"huh?"  
She pointed at her own reflection "Poor Little Meilin Rae, doesn't know why everyone's blaming her for these things! Oh, poor annoying Meilin, dedicated her heart and soul to one person and gives him away, because she" at this time meilin took on a mocking voice "Looooves. Li!" She giggles almost innocently "Poor little Mielin Rae, poor little Meilin rae!" Her eyes glowed a fiercer red. Li looked at the reflection in the mirror...  
It was meilin.  
But this Meilin didn't have a red glow to her eyes or a sword. She was...smiling back, hands neatly folded in front of her while Meilin, the attacker verison, contineud taunting herself.  
Suddenly a huge smash as she flung the sword at the mirror, shatering it to peices!  
"oh, man. My head hurts." She moaned, eyes closed. Suddenly she opened theme, and stared at a little peice of mirror, reflecting herself...her eyes were a deep, normal brown.  
"Poor little Meilin rae!" Her reflection mocked, pointing at her "Give yourself to a man, Meilin? Give him away? Give your everything...Your ever-y-thing!" Her reflection, eyes glowing red, finished off and then melded into her real reflection, a girl with tear-streaked cheeks and confusion written all over her face.  
"I...I dont' understand..." She looked up at her friends...her family. Sakura cowered behind Tory, frightend. Tory just had a look of plain confusion. She turned her head to look at Li, who wore a look of shock.  
"What's happening to me!?" She asked, her voice a high-pitched squeel.  
"Meilin, I really think It's time." Li whispered.  
"Time for what?"  
"everything that's hapening, there is a reason."  
"And how do we find that reason? Li, I'm terrified."  
"I understand."  
"Well?"  
Sakura grabbed Tory by the sleve "Meilin's having some trouble sleeping..ahe, the doctores call it sleepwalking. Maybe we should leave them be."  
Tory had no other choice but to follow.  
Li gently took Meilin by the hand...and led her away.  
.......................................................................................................  
  
Li sighed, staring at the empty park. "I was never supposed to tell you this...the elders command it."  
Meilin gasped and covered her ears "I will not listin then!"  
Li grasped Mielin by the wrists and pulled her hands away from her head "LISTIN TO ME! If you do not understand, then I can't ererase this memory from your mind or Sakura's or Tory's."  
Meilin listined.  
"It started a long time ago. When you were born...and, believe it or not, I loved you to bits a peices. You and I, we had a bond..."  
Meilin looked bitterly at the ground 'and what happend with that bond?' she thought.  
"BUT, because of the wishes of the Showron, they did something to you..." He hissed, angrily.  
"What?" Meilin asked, scared.  
"Magic, Meilin. Part of you...part of you is what you are now. Human, Scared, Unknowing, no magic. Mortal."  
Mielin gulped. "and the other part?"  
"A clow card."  
"WHAT!?"  
Li looked at her, tears in his eyes "Yes, Meilin. Part of you is a clow card! That's why you haven't been able to descover your cardcaptor magic, because that part of you wouldn't, it's LOYAL to the other clow cards...and evil. dangerous...it concideres the Showron family her enemy, and, since you, you right now, is a decendant of the showron, she will try to destroy you to gain full controle...that's why she didn't finish Sakura off. She wants to torture me, to torture sakura, and most of all to torture you."  
Li looked at her, his eyes growing soft...a look she only saw once on his face, a very long time ago...when they were both still children...innocent, young, vulnerable.  
"I can never be a true cardcaptor."  
"Why not?"  
"Because, if I am ever to be one, I will have to...capture the clow card side of you...which ment, that I will have to destroy your mortal part." He closed his eyes and finished with a shaky breath "the only reason I'm still hanging around is to make sure Kero doens't find out about you and make sakura destroy you."  
"Li...what about the elders?"  
"We will have to run away...far away, so they will never find you, Meilin...so they will never descover you...and my failure."  
"Li...why? Why did they do this to me?"  
"To make a tie between the Showron and the Clow. IF there is no tie, then the mistress of the clow will not be able to command clowcards to simpley return to thier power confines. She will have to fight them...to the death."  
Meilin started crying again "Li, please!" "no, meilin. My decision is final. I will NOT let them have you."  
"li..."  
Li looked out at the star-speckled sky...  
"Now that you know, I have to tell you everything..."  
"What?"  
"I love you, Meilin Rae."  
"li...oh, Li. I love you too...I'd die for you!"  
"And I will die for you too, Meilin. But...now is not the time for you to know that." He pulled out a talisman...and held it to the time card.  
The two items started glowing.  
"What's going to happen now?"  
"the talisman and time card will bring back the times when everyone, including you, didn't know about this...and everything will be the way it used to be."  
Before the power of the time card reached it's peak, Li roughly drew Meilin to him and gave her the longest, most passionate kiss the 11 year old could muster.  
And....  
It was all forgotten.  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

**Reflect My Heart Part 3: An Unexpected Friendship**

**By: Ruby Moon**

((A/N: Aw, c'mon! NO YURI IN THIS FIC! Hmmm...a little heart-to-heart between Sakura and Meilin yet again. Oh, well, CC doesn't belong to me so :P I wish it did but it doesn't. Enjoy and please review.))

Meilin stared into Li's hard, brown eyes, strangely close to him...she liked the feeling.

"what are we doing here?" Li asked, confused.

"I don't know..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tory and Sakura looked around, worried.

"Who broke dad's mirror!?"

"You did it Sakura!"

"I DID NOT!"

"Well, I didn't!"

"TORY STOP LYING!"

"I AM NOT LYING!"

"Kids, I'm home!" Mr. Avalon's voice called out. "HEY! WHO BROKE MY MIRROR!?"

Sakura and Tory pointed at each other.

Melin and Li walked back home, side-by-side yet far apart.

"Oh, poor little Meilin rae, doesn't remember, but I do...and Oh and I going to have fun with you, little descendant!" Something in her head chanted.

Meilin shook her head.

"what?" Li asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just tired, I guess."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sakura ran up to Li "so!?"

"So what?"

"So? I found THIS at home!" Sakura said, pulling out Li's sword from the bushes.

"HOW DID THAT GET THERE!?"

"You broke dad's mirror!"  
"I did not, I wasn't even at your house, Sakura Avalon and you know it!"

Sakura ignored that statement "Duh, of course you'll deny it! LI! Thanks to you I can't hang with Madison, go to the park, roller blade, or watch TV for THREE WEEKS!"

"I didn't do it!" Li snapped, grabbing his sword.

"Whatever."

Madison ran up to them "So, Li. What's up with you destroying Sakura's stuff!?"

"I didn't do it!"

"Then why's YOUR sword there?"

"How am I supposed to know!?"

"It's your sword." Sakura muttered crossly.

"I know that, stupid." Li growled.

Meilin suddenly appeared as if from no where. "Hey! Stop bugging Li!"

"Back Off Meilin!" Sakura yelled.

"You back off Avalon!"

"oh yeah!?"

"YEAH!"

Sakura made a fist "I'm SICK of you putting me down, Meilin. You can't ever be nice for once!"

Meilin went into a kung-fu stance "Wanna fight Avalon!?"

"Sakura, please..."

"Mei, stop..."

The two girls refused to listen.

"HIYA!" Meilin yelled, aiming a well-timed kick at Sakura's face. Sakura barely dodged and elbowed Meilin in the ribs, then tackled her to the ground, springing back up and staring down haughtily at her rival...but her pride was short-lasted.

Meilin did a backwards flip while at the same time leg-swiping sakura. Sakura fell with a sickening thump as Meilin landed gracefully, confident that she was going to win this fight.

Sakura yelled in rage and before Meilin knew it she had a very furious and angry sakura clawing at her.

Meilin couldn't do anything but claw back and pull Sakura's hair.

"ouch...catfight." Kero muttered from his perch on Madison's shoulder. he flinched as Sakura delivered a harsh blow to Meilin's face "That's gotta hurt!"

Madison stood back, afraid to go anywhere near the fight which was progressingly getting noisier and uglier "Li! stop them!" she screamed.

Finally, the noise attracted Zachary and Chelsea, Rita, and nikki. Zachary helped Li pull the two panting, pride-bruised girls apart. Meilin still had some fight left in her, and her eyes gleamed with the will for more fight, even though she had gotten a pretty bad beating. Sakura was worse for wear but matched or even surpassed Meilin's determination.

"MEILIN! YOUR GONNA GET IT!"

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY AVALON! IS *THAT* WHAT YOU CALL A FIGHT!?" Meilin yelled back mockingly.

"THAT's IT!"

The two girls lunged at each other again and it took Li's and Zachary's full strength to keep the whole thing from happening agian.

"STOP! BOTH OF YOU!" Mrs. Makenzi's voice broke the struggle.

Everyone turned to look at a disappointed-looking red-haired woman.

"I dont' know what this is about, but Sakura and Meilin, I want you two to apologize to each other, BOTH of you go to the bathroom to wash those cuts, and I want to see you two in my office in the next 5 minutes. Go, now."

Sakura stared rebelliously at Meilin then muttered a totally fake-sounding apology.

"So-ry." Meilin retorted, making the WORD sound almost like a mocking insult.

Sakura narrowed her eyes.

so did Meilin.

Li tightened the grip he had around Meilin. He knew how her temper could flare at any second...he whispered into her ear "Listin, Meilin. Your totally giving us away...when you and sakura go to the bathroom, I want BOTH of you to come up with some kind of excuse to tell the others." He hissed, so quietly that Meilin could barely hear him. He felt her relax slightly...but kept his arms around her slim waist. He liked being so close to her...the smell of her hair...how she breathed so heavily after that fight...her slightly high-pitched voice as she muttered an OK...

"Wait, what am I thinking!? I can't be attracted to Meilin, that'll bring nothing but trouble. after all, my first priority is to capture the clow cards, I can't be distracted at all!" Li thought let go of her. Zachary did the same with Sakura.

The two girls grudgingly trudged to do as they were told.

Everyone exchanged worried glances.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sakura chanced a look at Meilin, who was furiously scrubbing her face....almost scrubbing her skin raw, obviously thinking about other things.

"Geeze, I think you want to scrub your skin off." Sakura muttered, not smugly though.

"None of your business Avalon." Meilin responded wearily.

Sakura threw down her washcloth "Why do we always fight!?" she asked, frustrated.

Meilin turned to look Sakura in the eye...then looked away. "I...don't know."

"Yes you do."

Mielin remained quiet.

"Look, Meilin. I dont' WANT to be your rival...okay? I may not be that great at capturing clow cards or understanding the magic side...but i think since we're all in this together, like it or not, we should at LEAST try to get along...I know i can be really stupid and say and ask stupid things, and I know I can be annoying, and headstrong..."

Meilin sighed and shook her head "It's not that."

"What is it then?"

Meilin remained quiet for a second, then spoke "I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell ANYONE, not even kero."

Sakura nodded.

Meilin sighed and started "A long time ago, back when Li and I were little, we used to hang out a lot. I helped him with all the magic stuff, y'know, learn...we got along really good. But...one day, I really dont' remember what the elders did, or told me, but right after they seriously talked to me, they sent Li away for some time to lern under his grandfather. I didn't see him for years but we talked over the phone and it felt like we were still really close...but then, they sent him here and then, when I was offered to be an exchange student to this school and Li went to this school I leaped at the chance. I thought it would be like old times but no..." Meilin shook her head to keep her tears from spilling "He's so distant...and he was the only friend I ever had. before I could tell him anything, and it didn't matter weather I liked him as a friend or a brother or more then a friend, we had a bond, we were very close, like soulmates, even...but now, it's almost like he's just hanging out with me and including me every now and agian just to please the elders...maybe prove that he's still loyal to them? I dont know...but I felt like I just lost the most important part of my life I ever had or ever will have..." Meilin sighed wearily and depressed" And, I know this isn't the case but a lot of times I feel like you've replaced me, Sakura."

"Meilin, I never knew..."

"It's still no excuse."

"Look, I don't know what happened, but we're going to get to the bottom of this!"

Meilin looked up at Sakura startled "What do you mean?"

"There must be SOME reason why he's blowing you off like that! I mean, lifelong friends don't' just drop each other without a reason! We HAVE to find out why, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Sakura, you really don't' have-'

"Yes I do! WE do, because if we don't' understand each other, everyone. If Li doesn't understand us or Madison or Kero or You or Me, we have no chance of banding up against the enemy, alright? We have to find out what's wrong...besides..." Here Sakura smiled "Friends help friends."

"Huh?"

"You may not want it, but you have another friend besides Li now Meilin. That's me." Sakura held out her hand.

Meilin looked doubtfully back at sakura...was this some kind of trick?

"Are you sure, Sakura?"  
"Hey, I don't say things I don't' mean!"

Meilin smiled slightly as she grasped Sakura's hand in hers and gave it a firm shake "Deal. So, what are we going to tell the others?"

A mischievous glint shone in sakura's eyes "We were fighting over Li?"

Meilin giggled "Excellent. Can't wait to see their reactions."

"Neither can I. I bet Zachary's gonna have one heck of a time developing some tall tale or another about THIS."

"Yah!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meilin hummed slightly as she washed the dishes. It was after school hours, and she found that Sakura and Madison weren't as bad as she thought they were. Their little joke had the other rolling in laughter, and even though everyone was different, deep inside each of them shared the same need for friendship and companionship...everyone's differenced aided their friends in helping them become better people...

"Was THIS what I needed all along?" Meilin asked herself, wiping her hands, still humming.  
Li sat on the couch, watching TV. it was really a rare thing for him to do that but he had been staying up late at all hours of the night and even though he was a cardcaptor, he was STILL human.

she sat down beside him and watched whatever was on TV. She curled her legs up close to herself and rested her head against the armrest, curling up tighter and closing her eyes in a contented sigh.

"Well, you seem happy today." Li quietly observed, switching the channel.

"mmm-hmm." She muttered, already feeling the effects of the tough day on herself.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?" She asked through a yawn.

"you're usually not this happy."

"I know..."

"Well?"

No answer.

"Meilin?" Li asked, looking over at her.

"yeeaaaaah?" She asked quietly, almost already asleep.

"Nothin'. Goodnight."

Meilin nodded and went to sleep.

Li smiled at her and softly stroked her hair away from her face...feeling her soft skin underneath his touch. He stood up and got a blanket, gently covering her with it. He sat back and looked at her, perplexed.

"ever since when did I start caring this much?" he wondered in his mind

"you always did, and always do, but you just refuse to accept it" he mentally reminded

"She's so weird. One minute she's annoying the heck out of me next minute she's melting my heart like butter...wait wait wait, I can't feel this way about her, because if I do, both our hearts will be broken."

The mental battle raged in his mind...the stars outside sparkled and the moon shone brightly down at the wondering boy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meilin looked around her...it was dark.

It was terrifying...the darkness shifted, twisted...it was overwhelming...

Meilin shook, her hands burried in her face.

Suddenly a swirl of darkness forced her hands away from her face...

She looked up...fear numbing her mind.

Those eyes...where had she seen those eyes before!?

Red...Glowing...Blood-Red...angry, hurt, resentful...suddenly ice-cold hands reached out, gripping her around her throat, cutting off her air supply...

She let out a strangled scream, struggling against that...CREATURE'S supernatural strength.

"Now, Meilin Rae...your time of death will come soon enough. Stop denying who you are..."

"WHO AM I!?" She gasped.

"Who you are? Who you are. Stop denying WHO YOU ARE!"

((A/N: Well, that's it...sorry. *giggles* Syc, I uploaded the next part. Reflect My Heart Part 4: The Lie. Look for it in a fanfiction near you! LOL!))


	4. Default Chapter Title

**Reflect My Heart Part 4: The Lie**

_By: Ruby Moon_

((A/N: Sorry, it's a short part. Sorry Sorry Sorry, but I think the ending is really good. Enjoy! CC doesn't belong to me!)) 

Li woke up...something was making a lot of noise beside him. Like a splash of cold water he remembered falling asleep on the opposite end of the couch from Meilin. Now the girl was screaming and gasping...her fist thrashing around like she was trying to ward something off... 

Li grabbed meilin's arm and tried to shake her awake. She screamed some more and kicked him, making him fall over backwards. 

Li pinned Meilin to the couch. Suddenly her brown eyes shot open. She closed them again and shook her head. 

"Are you OK?" Li asked, affraid to let her go. 

She nodded. He slowly and hessitently let go of her...she sat up, looking around. 

"how did I get on the couch?" 

"You fell asleep here." 

"oh..." Meilin sighed. 

"What...are you OK? What was that dream about?" 

"I...I dont' know...someone was...choking me...telling me to remember who...I am...I dont' understand Li!" 

"Who you are? Who was choking you?" 

"I couldn't see her face...but those EYES. They looked...familiar..." 

"How did they look like?" 

"Red...blood-red...and glowing. No pupil visible...and she was trying to kill me..." Meilin shuddered. 

"Are you OK?" 

Meilin nodded. "IT just seemed so...real...I got so scared..." She shivered. 

Li looked closely at her. Her hair was down and a total mess, her nightgown had twisted around and now revieled a lot of leg...she looked so cold and vulnerable. He squinted...trying as hard as he could not to look somewhere where he wasn't supposed to. 

Meilin opend one eye and looked back at him "What!?" 

Li snapped out of his trance. "Oh, nothing...um...just trying to figure out of that dream of yours had anything to do with the clowcards. But...it doesn't as far as I know. Go back to sleep." 

Meilin obeyed silently and covered herself with the blanket. before long she was sleeping peacefuly. 

Li kneeled in front of her face, staring at her, almost entranced. He toyed with her long hair, smiling contentedly. Suddenly he thought of something, and frowned. 

It was a memory, pushed back over the ages... 

He knew there was something about her dream. The Clow Card side of her was awakening. 

Li longed for things to be the way they were a long time ago...of course, the training was hard, the expectations, high. The elders were cold, and tradition, honor was all that mattered. But still...at that time, things were better. He could play catch with meilin without having a second thought about it. He could lean up against her, feeling her comforting body against his...and take a nap in the sun....without worrying. He could wrap his arms around her and comfort her when she was hurting, without his heart aching. He could tell her everything...include her in anything...without having to worry about the clow card side of her knowing too much. He laid his cheek on the couch, his tears falling on her midnight-black hair. He hushed his sobs, trying not to waken her. 

"Li?" meilin's groggy voice murmured. Suddenly she awoke, noticing his tears. "LI!? What's wrong!?" She asked, worryment etched on her face. 

Li tried to clear his eyes and keep his voice from cracking as he murmured "Nothing." 

"LI...you were crying! Please...tell me what's wrong!" 

Li stood up and turned his back. "Nothing, go back to sleep." 

Meilin stood up and laid her hand on his shoulder "Look, Li...you used to be able to tell me anything...and I just want to let you know you still can, I would never betray your tru-" 

"SHUT THE HELL UP MEILIN!" Li yelled, cutting her short. 

Meilin backed away, tears coming to her eyes. 

Li's expression softened. "Meilin...I'm so so so sorry..." He sobbed. 

"Li...why...why aren't we friends...?" 

Li's eyes widened. "What!? We are friends." 

Meilin gripped her hands and shook her head "No, we arent." 

Li looked distantly at the ground and sighed. 

"You're keeping something from me...tell me, now." She demanded. 

Li's mind thought fast. He couldn't let her know the truth! What would happen...she was too dedicated and loved him too much...she would kill herself to give him honor and save them. Either way, she was going to find out in time...he just needed to protect her. SHE needed to HATE him, for her own good... 

Li gulped, his mind growing fuzzy. He didn't want to say this...betraying what was in his heart and soul...he turned his back....but no matter what, he would protect her and guard this secret until the day he died. 

"I love Sakura." He whispered. 

((A/N: *laughs manically* was that a twist you didn't expect!? MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Alright, now...the next parts...Li WILL start having some dreams that are rather...*COUGHinapropriateCOUGH* for his age. So...no hentai...but...*swetdrops* nothing really graphic. Just warning you.


	5. Default Chapter Title

**_Reflect My Heart_**

**_Part 5: Secret Until Death _**

_-Sammie AKA Ruby Moon_

((A/N: To fully understand this, you will have to read the other parts to Reflect My Heart. Anyway, please don't flame me! thanks!))

Meilin blinked, shocked. "What...what!?"

"I'm...I'm sorry, Meilin....but...I don't' love you the way you love me, I cant' help it!" His words spilled out in a tumbling rush. It hurt him so much...to lie to her face, to deceive the girl he truly loved...but it had to happen.

Meilin closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling. "If that is what makes you happy, Li Showron, then I wish you good luck, with Sakura."

That coldness...those words, her heart was poured into them, but the WAY she spoke them...it was as if she was reciting...as if she really didn't care. It sounded familiar...somehow.

Then he pinpointed it. That's the way he spoke to her...all the time!

"Meilin, I just don't love you that much...I'm so sorry." He whispered. he wanted to scream out 'NO! I Love you more, far more then Sakura or anyone...that's why I'm doing this! Meilin I love you...I love you too much!' but then, he shut his mouth, his mind and heart raging on inside of him.

Meilin ran her hand through her thick, long hair...a sign of depression and frustration. She walked into her room and closed the door softly. Li quietly walked over and put his ear to the corner...he heard her sobs, heartbroken, betrayal sounding in every gasp and cry.

Li leaned up against the wall, sliding down slowly as he did one thing that he barely remembered doing...

sobbed his heart out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

His heart beat rapidly...like a caged animal...he felt the heat all around him, in the air...

He didn't know where he was...

He barely remembered WHO he was.

He didn't know why these things were happening...

But they were.

"M..M...Meilin?"

Her face was in shadows...her midnight-black hair falling down her past shoulders, damp with sweat.

Oh, he wasn't afraid...maybe just a little. Her catlike movements entranced him as she slowly made her advance...her breathing even yet deep, her brown eyes glinting in mischief.

A certain wild...passion being portrayed with every movement.

He went almost numb with excitement as she slid her arms around his neck, planting a long and sensuous kiss on his trembling lips.

It was heaven...an ecstasy that he wished with all his young heart would never end.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li let out a moan...then awoke with a start.

He sat up and looked around him, realizing he wasn't kissing Meilin, and he wasn't anywhere near her, and it was cold...the midwinter temperature chilling his bare arms.

He laid back down and stared at the ceiling, fondly thinking about what he was experiencing just a few seconds ago...

He narrowed his eyes, almost furious that his erotic dream wasn't real.

But his fury never lasted long...because whenever he thought of Meilin, sorrow filled his heart.

It had been 2 weeks since he made his false 'confession'.

And his entire plan had backfired!

She...STILL loved him! No matter how harshly he treated her, how cold and rude he was...she was still...so...gentle.

Just like that kiss...

But it was all fake. Just like him.

He was a fake.

Li sighed as he cast a look over at his bedside clock.

4:00 am.

Li shook his head...and sighed. She still loved him...

Part of Li was overjoyed. There was a chance! SHE LOVED HIM! SHE STILL LOVED HIM!...

But then, whenever Li felt hope coming to restore his heavy heart...reality kicked in.

No No No! It scolded. You can't tell Meilin, because SHE needs to hate you...IF you really LOVED her, you would PROTECT her...so just be colder, ruder, meaner...accept it. This is reality.

He wanted to tell Reality to go away and screw itself.

But...of course, that would never happen. Because one CAN'T choose weather or not to accept reality, because there was no choice, everyone lived in it from day-to-day.

And one can't TELL reality to go away...because cries for dreams fall on deaf ears...tears for joy fall on blind sight.

So, in a way, he was stuck. Trapped.

Trapped in a web of lies and deceit HE had spun.

Li sighed...

He had done EVERYTHING to undermine her trust and love for him.

He had accused her,

yelled at her, insulted her, reprimanded her...

FOR GOD'S SAKES! He had even started flirting with Sakura!

But Meilin took it all in stride.

She kept a smiling happy face around him, a lighthearted tone to her voice.

She served him hand and foot, even when he was tired...

She tried to console him in his bleak moments of depression...of course he had shoved her away.

She felt his pain...even though she didn't know what it was for.

She had even offered to tell Sakura for him!

But her heart was broken.

Oh, she hid it well, alright. She was still the same...outside.

Inwardly she had screamed and cried...feeling her heart breaking and washing away bit by bit...

but now, she was dead. inside, she was dead.

And Li wanted to scream out his frustration, anger, sorrow, depression...

he wanted someone to blame, someone to accuse...someone to unleash his caged-up wrath upon.

But there really was no one...besides, he couldn't let his secret slip through his hands.

But, nonetheless, he felt it...slipping between his fingers like grains of sand.

He didn't know how long he could hang on...

Hang on to WHAT?

Hang on to his secret...or hang on to life itself?

Li had trained under the worst and hardest of circumstances...

He had studied magic and held magic in the palm of his hand. Deep magic, powerful and flowing with the ability to give...or take.

He felt...inhuman, for most of his life. No emotions...no fear, no joy, no anger, no sorrow.

But now, the sudden realization and reality of his mortality slapped him in the face, leaving a stinging bruise on his tender heart.

Li groaned and rested his hand on his forehead. The sudden rush of contradicting emotions made his head spin and his mind split into so many pieces.

He didn't know how long he laid there...thinking, and yet...not thinking. Barely breathing...his thoughts running swiftly and nonestop through his subconscious...while his focus was like staring into a dark and black room.

Suddenly he let out a yelp and a yell as his alarm went off.

"Oh, crud. NOT AGAIN!" He moaned...flopping back down on his bed.

It was time for school.

He barely got any sleep.

Li heard Meilin's door open and close softly.

Li's heart began to beat a mile a minute.

He breathed in and out a few times...just lying there...trying to push back his overwhelming feelings for another day.

He heard the kitchen pots and pans gently tapping against each other as Meilin cooked breakfast...careful not to waken anyone.

He slowly stood up, turning to look at the mirror, to make sure his face was set in a permanent scowl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meilin quickly looked up then back at what she was doing.

Li had just groggily trudged through the door...and quietly started helping her.

Meilin looked at the eggs she was cooking. She almost forgot to put salt.

"Hey...Li...can you hand me the salt shaker?" She asked in the meekest and quietest voice.

Li stepped back a little. To her her voice...so shaky, so quiet...denied of it's trademark, her boisterousness...and so...so...so meek...lacking all confidence...all the strangely tough yet caring qualities...it broke his heart.

Not that it wasn't broken already.

So...without a word, picked it up and handed it to her.

Just when she put her hand on it...

Li couldn't hold it in any longer.

He put his hand over hers...

Meilin looked up at him, startled.

A battle once again ignited in Li's heart and mind...and once again, he succumbed to reality.

"I thought the cap was falling off." He muttered, coldly and harsh scorn etched in his voice.

Meilin looked disappointed. "Oh...thanks."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do you know what's wrong with Li?" Madison leaned over and whispered in Sakura's ear.

Sakura shrugged "I dunno...how am I supposed to know!?"

"Well...he seems to be talking to you an awful lot lately...come to think of it...do you know what's wrong with Meilin?"

"Why do you think there's something wrong with Meilin?" Sakura asked while scanning the school grounds...it was lunchtime. And that morning had been a disaster.

Time and time again Li had been called on to answer a question...only to be caught either sleeping or staring into outer space...and he couldn't come up with an answer.

No doubt that made him the laughing stock of the entire class.

It seemed as if Li didn't' care.

"Well...she's not tagging along with Li as much as she used to."

Sakura caught sight of Li, eating underneath a tree...all alone.

"Yeah...she's...not even eating lunch with Li!"

"That's weird."

"Tell me about it."

"Why don't you ask him what's wrong?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know. It might be something about the clow cards."

"Alright..."

Sakura got up and hesitantly walked over to Li "Good morning, Li."

Li was about to snap at her then thought better of it "Good morning." He said with a fake happy tone and a forced smile.

Sakura sat down beside him.  
Li continued to eat his lunch as if she wasn't even there.

Sakura stared at him...there was something about his EYES that were different...

They were...sad.

Sad eyes...sky eyes...almost as if he was looking at something inside of him that he resented...looking at something in the future that he had come to accept...but longing for something from the past.

"Li...what's wrong?" Sakura asked.

Li almost dropped his sandwich "Nothing!...um...why do you ask?" He muttered, trying to keep an even and calm manner.

"Well...you aren't as mean as you were before."

"huh?" Li asked, looking at her in astonishment to her sincerity.

"And" she continued "Where's Meilin?"

Li looked back down. "that's none of your business."

"It has something to do with Meilin. doesn't it?"

Li didn't respond...he just sat there, almost frozen in time, in space...

"Look, Li..."

"Like I said, it's NONE of your business." He whispered, wiping at his face.

Sakura looked closely...

He had just wiped away a tear.

Sakura was almost shocked. Li? CRYING!? WAS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!

But...of course, he WAS human, so it WAS possible.

"Li...look, just listen, alright?"

Li sighed.

"Um...like it or not, we HAVE been through a lot together...you, me, Kero, Madison, and Meilin. I was thinkin'...it wouldn't hurt...if maybe...well...what I'm trying to say is...if ya need someone to talk to...I'm here, and I'm good at keeping secrets."

Li nodded curtly, acknowledging her offer in the coldest way possible.

Sakura just sat there...unsure of what to do.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~

"SAKURA! SEAL THE ARROW CARD!" Kero yelled from the sidelines.

Darkness had set in and after that 'conversation' with Li, Sakura's nerves had been on edge...and she was barely able to concentrate.

"I'M A LITTLE BUSY, KERO!" Sakura yelled as she dodged arrow after arrow.

"FORCE, KNOW MY PLIGHT, UNLEASH THE LIGHT!" Li yelled "LIGHTNING!"

The arrow card easily dodged the attack.

It raised it's hands, arrows dripping with poison launching full-speed at the small group of people...

They barely dodged yet again...each landing with a gasp and a thud on the cement of the street.

The arrow card sinisterly walked over to it's latest prey...raising it's hands once again...

"HIIIIIIIIIYAH!" Someone yelled from behind. In a flash of red, yellow, and white robes, Meilin had the arrow card knocked over with a well-timed high-kick.

She landed gracefully.

The arrow card leaped to it's feet, narrowing it's eyes in contempt at the one who had deprived it of it's victory.

Meilin braced herself...ready to dodge...

"Everyone, run." She commanded over he shoulder.

"But Meilin-" Sakura started.

"I SAID RUN!"

The small group dispersed just as the poisonous arrows flew at them once again.

Meilin dodged by leaping up high into the air. She landed just as the arrows clattered harmlessly on the pavement.

It wasn't manifested in light.

Or Darkness.

Or Wind.

Or water, or anything that the psyche could sense, anything that the nerves of one's body could feel.

But it just...was

It was the feeling of magic and mystery, power and glory...and evil. Darkness.

Darkness so tangible that they could taste it's bitter poison...it's evil contempt blinding thier eyes like a dark mask...preventing them from seeing reality. 

Sakura felt it.

Li felt it.

Kero felt it.

The Arrow Card felt it.

a chill went up both Madison and Meilin's spines...

There was something here...

a force so powerful that even a normal human could ignore it.

An image shimmered and eventually took full shape...

Kero gasped.

The image of an older man, eyeglass in place, black hair neatly combed...

but it was the MAGIC that was so...evident.

So evident and overwhelmingly powerful.

Meilin's eyes widened. Where had she SEEN that whip?

The whip he carried in his hand...

WHERE had she seen that MAN!?

The memory struggled to come forth, almost as if it was being held back by the forces of physics and time itself.

Almost from another lifetime.

The man looked calmly, almost haughtily at the group...

Kero fell to the cement, bowing with fear and reverence.

"Kero! Who IS that!?" Sakura asked, her voice raising it pitch.

"This...cardcaptors...is Clow Reed."

((A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am an evil evil EVIL human being. Alright, for those of ya who don't know, I don't think Clow Reed really IS a villain, but I just chose him because he SO ties into all of this perfectly ::At least in my twisted mind he does:: anyway...the ending is a real shocker. Coming up...The last and Final Chapter of Reflect My Heart!))


	6. Default Chapter Title

**Reflect My Heart**

**_Part 6: A Price Paid_**

_By: Ruby Moon AKA Sammie_

**(**(A/N: Alright, this is probably the longest part ever, but well worth it. You WILL have to read the other parts to fully understand this story**. PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THE PAGE! **Thanks, cardcaptors doesn't belong to me))

Meilin then fell to her knees...followed shortly by Sakura and Madison.

They knew who he was.

The creator of the clow.

The most powerful magician of all!

The arrow card moaned and collapsed, crying for mercy.

Li narrowed his eyes. He refused to bow.

He KNEW who Clow Reed had come for.

He wasn't about to let him have her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Master, what do you wish?" Kero asked, his normally proud and egotistical voice trembling in fear and awe.

Clow reed looked from one to the other...then rested his sight on Li.

"And why, Li Showron, do you refuse to bow before me? Your ancestor, the source of all your powers?"  
Li's throat went dry. His mind burned with pain and anger...and determination.

He thought of Meilin.

He thought of the war that raged on inside her.

He thought of the curse put upon her.

He thought of her...unwittingly in the jaws of fate itself.

And his rage, built up through all his life, ignited in a powerful wildfire!

"I will not let you have her."

No one dared to lift his or her head...but they let their eyes shift to look at Li.

Li Showron...the descendent of Clow Reed.

He looked so small and vulnerable against the awesome height and magic of Clow Reed.

Clow Reed almost burned with Magic and Evil.

But Li's eyes shone with a determination and love that no one, nothing, could match.

"What?"

"You. Will. Never. Have. Her." He hissed, his voice deep and almost sultry...anger and hatred burning in every pitch and note.

"She is my descendent too...I shall have her, and do with her as I please."

Sakura knew who they were talking about.

Meilin.

"Li!" Kero hissed. "Bow! BOW BEFORE HIM!"

"Never."

It was a simple statement that bore rebellion that Kero had never heard, in all his years.

"Li...what are you talking about!?" Sakura yelled.

"SILENCE, CARDCAPTOR!" Clow Reed thundered.

Sakura fell silent with scarcely a whisper.

Clow Reed turned his attention to Li "Stand aside, boy. I have come to claim my...prize."

Li noticed Clow Reed's dark eyes slip over Meilin like a slimy slug on a rose...

Li hated him...he narrowed his eyes in contempt...

"NO!" He yelled, drawing his sword and charging!

Everyone looked up as steel crashed against steel, power against power, darkness against light...

Clow Reed had magic, years of experience, and strength on his side.

But his years also worked against him...

Li had lithe swiftness on his side...

But more so, the love he felt for Meilin giving him strength beyond anything he felt before.

But it still wasn't enough.

With a powerful thrust of his arm, Clow Reed sent Li and his sword flying, the young boy slamming against a brick wall with a sickening thud.

"LI!" Meilin screamed, running to his side. She tried to get him to stand.

Li pushed her away gently. "Don't worry, Meilin. I will never let HIM have you."

"What are you talking about, Li? If we obey the elders, we should obey-"

"I will NEVER obey them...go along yes. But never obey." He hissed, drawing his sword once again and holding it in front of him, it's lethal blade gleaming and at the ready to draw blood.

"Did what, Li?" Meilin asked, beginning to feel the fluttery panic of fear rising in her heart and choking her.

"THIS!" Clow Reed yelled.

Darkness seeped into everyone's mind...digging into their innermost thoughts...

Li felt his first go.

He remembered.

He REMEMBERED.

He knew...his spell was being stripped away like old bark from a tree, more and more as the soft and tender flesh of the secret was being exposed to the harsh wind of reality.

"NO!" Li screamed. But it was too late.

The dreams...

The attack...

The red, glowing eyes...

The broken mirror...

The secret unveiled...

The kiss...

The darkness spun and disintegrated, along with it Li's memory-banishing spell.

Meilin shook her head...then gasped.

Tears threatened to spill forth from her big brown eyes as she remembered every detail.

Sakura stared down in shock. Kero bowed once again before clow reed, in honor to his master's power.

Madison almost dropped her camera, wondering what the heck was going on.

Li saw Meilin's confusion, pain...fear.

His face softened and tears started to come.

"You see...cardcaptors. Li has deceived you. Deceived you all..."

"Is that true, Li? Why?" Sakura asked.

Li nodded.

"Why?"

"I couldn't let you know...I just couldn't let any of you know."

"How long have you known this about me, Li?" Meilin asked, her voice quiet...scared.

"Ever since you were two years of age." He whispered.

"SO you see, cardcaptors...your powers are no match for mine!" Clow Reed said, pride etched on his face in a strangely handsome show of power.

Suddenly he spread his arms apart...

"You have yet one clow card to capture...and I brought it to you...FIREY!"

Suddenly, as if emerging from his heart, the Firey leaped from between Clow Reed's arms...swirling around the small group of children in a fiery tornado of destruction.

"SAKURA!" Kero coughed. He couldn't see anything but bright flames, almost from the deapthes of hell itself...leaping up and at him. He dodged...

Kero felt the smoke slowly seep into his lungs, almost completely cutting off the oxygen to his body...

"SEAL THE CARD!" Someone, most likely Madison, screamed and coughed out.

"FIREY CARD, RETURN TO YOUR POWER CONFINE!"

Sakura.

Kero felt the immediate relief as the fire around him disappeared in a whirl of magic.

The Firey rested in Sakura's hands.

Then Sakura felt an overwhelming charge running through her body.

Clow Reed's eyes widened in panic for a millisecond...then held his hand up.

The magical charge stopped.

He had...he had kept her from becoming...from becoming mistress of the clow!

But she understood.

he couldn't keep her like this for long.

They had to destroy him...and when the did that, Meilin would be safe, they would all be safe...and she would be the mistress of the clow.

"Ah, so I see...a little more powerful then I had thought. No matter, I can still deal with you fools." Clow Reed mused sinisterly.

"That was a test of strength?" Sakura asked...she knew now.

Clow Reed MAY have created the clow cards and this magic.

But either he had changed...or he was never deserving of this power.

But he had it.

There was no denying it.

And he was going to use it to it's full extent.

Sakura noticed something happening with Kero...

She looked at the little Guardian Beast in awe.

He was glowing, with a magic so fierce and bright, good and kind, almost loving...yet warlike.

The little creature grew, twisted...in a burst of light and a gust of wind, he stood there.

His true form.

Keroberos, the Guardian Beast of the Seal.

The majestic winged lion stepped back, standing before the group of children.

He shot a look over at Li.

He held Meilin in his arms, clearing ashes away from her face...sword still in one of his hands though, ready and willing to give anything...for his one and only love.

Love...

That's what clow reed was missing.

Keroberous KNEW.

He had stayed with Clow Reed since the beginning.

And he knew.

Clow Reed had been obsessed with his magic and clow cards that he never truly experienced love.

That's why he was like...

Like this demon from the deepest abyss.

Clow Reed narrowed his eyes and glared at Keroberous.

But Kero knew who's side he would stay by.

Sakura's. The TRUE cardcaptors.

Because Sakura had shown him love. Not the same as Meilin's and Li's, but love nonetheless.

It showed in every smile sakura gave him, ever cup of jell-o and every video game rented.

Kero smiled. Sakura was his only friend he had in a long time.

And even though he may not like Li and Meilin that much,

he would always stay by Sakura's side.

"So, my own creation, betraying me?" Clow Reed hissed.

"Master, I am doing this for everyone's own good, even yours. These children have done nothing." Kero roared, his voice powerful and deep as the ocean.

"So be it." Clow Reed whispered...closing his eyes and meditating...

Magic started swirling around him like a hurricane! Wild, untamed, vicious! He released it's wrath upon the small group of worn yet determined friends.

"Sakura! Use the clowcards to defeat him!"

"POWER CARD, RELEASE AND DISPEL!"

Kero roared as fire streamed forth from his mouth at his FORMER master.

Kero was his own master now.

And he was staying by Sakura's side, no matter what.

Li let go of Meilin. She looked up at him, a determination burning in her eyes like so many times he had seen before.

Li meditated, holding his sword before him.

"NOW! ELEMENT, WIND!"

The wind blew.

The fire raged on.

The power fought.

But it was to no use.

The wind bounced harmlessly away from Clow Reed. He barely noticed it.

Kero's fire was slowly forced back by a beam of unearthly magic. he finally stopped and dodged with the speed of a striking adder.

The power card fell and fainted.

"NOW! ELEMENT, FIRE!"

Another blast of fire from Kero's mouth.

the Firey card...

A second's history ago repeated itself.

They were defeated once agian.

Li gasped as elemental spell after elemental spell, clow card after clow card, attack after attack failed.

He barely remembered Sakura yelling "KERO! That was the last of my clow cards!"

He only knew one thing...

he had failed everyone.

he had failed his family.

he had failed his friends.

he had failed humanity.

Worse yet...he had Failed...Meilin.

Meilin gasped...there was no one left to fight.

No one left!

So, this is how it's going to end? She wondered grimly.

But...she remembered something.

THAT MEMORY!

It finally broke through the barriers of Time and Physics.

"I can never be a true cardcaptor."

"Why not?"

"Because, if I am ever to be one, I will have to...capture the clow card side of you...which means, that I will have to destroy your mortal part." -

"Destroy my mortal part...because I AM PART MAGIC!" She finished, her voice raising from a whisper to a sound of determination.

Clow Reed tried to keep the shock from showing on his face...

Now Meilin stood at the crossroads.

Loose Li...Die in a pit of fire, hearing her friends scream in pain and fear...

or take the chance, loose her life, and save everyone.

Save Li.

To her, there was no choice.

Li gasped. "MEILIN! NO!"

But his sword was already out of his hand.

Meilin stood before clow reed. "YOU WANTED TO DESTROY EVERYONE! I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW...BECAUSE I AM BEING DESTROYED, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED WITH YOUR MISSION!"

She turned to everyone...eyes softening...tears threatening to spill forth. "Thank you...everyone. I'm doing this because I have to." She turned to Li, who was frozen in place with utter shock and horror. "I love you, Li...I always have and I always will."

Li dove for her, trying in one last vain attempt to wrench the sword out of her grip.

But it was too late.

The cold steel had already thrust through her chest...making it beat slower...

slower....slower...

Meilin felt her body weakening...darkness clouded her vision....

She saw one last thing that she would always cherish.

Li's face...his lips moved to say some words...but she didn't understand. She didn't' hear...but she felt them.

He loved her.

Meilin's body began to glow! A white light swirled around her, lifting her up...

Meilin faded from view...and was replaced...

She was...poisoning beautiful. Black hair flowing past her shoulders...robes of silk whipping about in the wind...power radiating from every part of her being!

She cast a look behind her as she came to a rest on the blood-stained ground.

Her eyes glowed a fierce white.

"Because I have felt Meilin's love...for all of you, I will fight...my master."

It sounded like a clow card, beautiful melody, ringing with a hollowness that also contained magic...almost as if it came from a void of ancient distance from long ago.

But she wasn't Meilin.

Li collapsed to his knees...tears streaming down his face.

He gasped as he threw his sword, stained in Meilin's blood, against the wall. He shook as his sobs retched from his throat, gasping with the sudden pain and horror as part of himself fled with Meilin's soul.

The Clow Card turned to face Clow Reed...their eyes locked.

Clow reed then knew he made the worst mistake of his life...when he undid Li's spell.

He felt...something.

A MAGIC digging through his mortal flesh and blood...reaching for his magic, his mind, his heart and soul!

There, it reached him, digging through, ripping apart...ripping through his very being and existence! Burning him from the inside, destroying him!

He screamed he started fading in and out of existence...

Sakura looked up from where she and Madison were trying to comfort Li.

She gasped as dark rays of light pierced outwardly from Clow Reed's flesh. He yelled in pain...more and more...he started fading in and out of his actual being. 

The Clow Card narrowed it's eyes...focusing for the final blow...

THERE!

A sudden sheering pain as Clow Reed felt his very life and soul slip from in-between his fingers.

And it was all over.

No pain.

No Joy.

No sense of touch, sight, smell.

He was gone.

Dead.

Sakura and Madison gasped as clow reed disintegrated into nothing.

Suddenly they were aware of the clow card staring at Li.

She looked down at the kneeling, sobbing boy.

"I have no consolation to give you, except this. I shared her body, I felt her love for you...and her love is pure and unconditional. Heed my words, Magician. Her love, and your love, is strong enough to bridge any abyss." With that, she kneeled before Sakura.

Sakura knew what she had to do.

Her magic was already getting stronger with each passing second.

She raised her staff above her head...

"CLOW CARD, RETURN TO YOUR POWER CONFINE!"

A blast of light and a howl of wind, and a nameless card rested in Sakura's hand.

Sakura stepped back in shock.  
Meilin!

She lay there...gasping for breath...

She was alive!

Li rushed up to her and picked the frail and hurting girl up, gently cradling her against his chest. "It'll be alright...everything will be alright..."

Meilin nodded and sighed in relief as she heard the sirens of police cars and ambulances growing louder as they came to her rescue.

But she already felt safe, just as long as she was in Li's arms.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Li's head shot up as the heart monitor started beeping in fury!

He grasped Meilin's hand tighter. The doctors had done everything they could...and it was his turn. He had worked magic...spells, anything! But...nothing worked...

He didn't want it to end like this.

She knew he loved her.

But she couldn't hang on.

He wanted to save her, someway, anyway! He would give his very life for her...his soul, his heart.

But he couldn't...because it wouldn't help any.

Sakura held Kero close to her and sobbed into Madison's shoulder. Madison let her tears fall...

All they knew is...

Meilin was going...

And there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Meilin's eyes fluttered open in one last attempt to hang on.

"Meilin...don't leave me! Please...I love you!" Li gasped.

Meilin smiled and gently wiped away his tears. "I love you too...and I'll do anything for you...and I'll always be with you...always."

Li sobbed in horror as part of him denied what had come to be...

and his tears told a story...of love once held, but now lost...

((A/N: WAS THAT SAD OR WHAT!? *starts sobbing* Why do I do these things!? Anyway, I have a little idea...though NO ONE will know what it's about until I write it.

It's called 'Reflect My Heart: The Next Chapter'

Like I said, it's all a mystery. Do you want me to write it? E-MAIL ME!

[Ruby_Moon@prodigy.net][1]

Alrightie? Thanks! PLEASE REVIEW!))

   [1]: mailto:Ruby_Moon@prodigy.net



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